Aigners on the Streif

“We were really scared”

Veronika Aigner (right) and Elisabeth Aigner raced on the Streif last year.(Bild: Mastercard)

This weekend, women will be competing on the Streif in Kitzbühel for the first time in 64 years. Before the two European Cup Super-G races, Veronika and Elisabeth Aigner remember their Kitz adventure last year: "We were really scared".

Vroni skied almost the entire course with guide Elisabeth. And with eight percent vision. The Lower Austrian says: "Of course I had the shivers, but I trust my sister blindly. It was pretty steep. You have to be really good on your skis. It was an absolute goosebump moment. The atmosphere was also a really great experience. The Hahnenkamm races are a huge public festival."

Ski legend Benni Raich accompanied the project. Vroni, who also met former Formula 1 superstar Sebastian Vettel and singer Melissa Naschenweng at the Charity Trophy in Kitzbühel, says: "It was a great honor for me to implement a project like this with Benni. It was great fun working with him and he was able to pass on a lot of his experience to me. Like us, he's also a real family man who's great to talk to about all sorts of things."

Raich: "My respect has grown once again"
Benni, who simulated Veronika's eyesight with special goggles and skied with Elisabeth as a guide, says: "My respect has grown once again. They encouraged their children to try out lots of things and gave them a lot of confidence. Vroni and her brother Johannes, who is also very successful in the Paraski World Cup, do everything that young people do with their handicap."

Michael Brönner(Bild: Mastercard)

"Equal opportunities play a major role for us"
Michael Brönner, Country Manager Austria at Mastercard, also pays tribute to the Aigners: "What they achieve is truly incredible. We are very proud of our collaboration with them. It was very important to us to make this experience possible in Kitzbühel together with Sporthife." This weekend, Mastercard is a main sponsor of the European Cup races: "Women's sport is very important to us. Visibility and equal opportunities play a major role for us. That's why we were immediately on board with the European Cup project."